Massimo Iosa Ghini
Massimo Iosa Ghini (born 18 June 1959) is an Italian architect, designer, and professor, known for his contributions to the Bolidist Movement and his work with Memphis Group architects such as Ettore Sottsass and Michael Graves. His career spans decades and includes projects in Italy, the United States, and Russia. He owns a substantial collection of furniture, reflecting his futuristic design style.
Also recorded as Massimo Iosa-Ghini
Massimo Iosa Ghini

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- Name
- Massimo Iosa Ghini
- Born
- 18 June 1959
- Birthplace
- Bologna, Italy
- Education
- Milan Polytechnic
- Nationality
- Italy
- Occupation
- architect · designer · businessperson
- Languages
- Italian
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Documentary summary
Massimo Iosa Ghini (born 18 June 1959) is an Italian architect, designer, and professor, known for his contributions to the Bolidist Movement and his work with Memphis Group architects such as Ettore Sottsass and Michael Graves. His career spans decades and includes projects in Italy, the United States, and Russia. He owns a substantial collection of furniture, reflecting his futuristic design style.
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Massimo Iosa Ghini (born 1959) is an Italian architect, businessperson and designer. The architect was born in Bologna. Massimo Iosa Ghini studied at Polytechnic University of Milan.
Languages used include Italian. Works by the architect are held at Design Museum Gent.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 27 September 2026
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wikidata · Q3851301 · wikipedia · Massimo Iosa Ghini
In this article
Biography
Biography
In 1990, he founded the architecture and design firm Iosa Ghini Associati in Milan.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Massimo Iosa Ghini • Born — 18 June 1959 • Birthplace — Bologna, Italy • Education — Milan Polytechnic • Practice — Iosa Ghini Associati • Significant Buildings — Ferrari Factory Store, Serravalle Scrivia IBM, Rome People Mover, Bologna • Website — iosaghini.it
Schooling
Schooling
Massimo Iosa Ghini was born in Bologna, Italy, on 18 June 1959. Initially interested in illustration, he developed a passion for architecture and studied it at Milan Polytechnic. He graduated in the 1980s, and the fast-paced nature of the decade influenced much of his later work. After graduating, he worked on furniture and set design for the Italian RAI TV network. In 1981, his unconventional designs drew the attention of the Memphis Group, a Milan-based collective of architects and designers whose furniture incorporated colors, shapes, and patterns that challenged traditional design conventions. Works from this period include "Bertrand" sideboard and the "Otello" armchair, one of which was sold at auction from the collection of the late David Bowie in 2016. Iosa Ghini has held teaching positions at Sapienza University in Rome, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Ferrara University.
Bolidism
Bolidism
Massimo Iosa Ghini is recognized as a pioneer of Bolidism, an artistic style that borrows elements from futurism and often focuses on human and machine interaction.
Architecture
Architecture
In 1990, Iosa Ghini co-founded Iosa Ghini Associati with his wife, Milena Mussi. Since then, his firm has worked with international groups on large-scale residential, commercial, and public space projects, including the 2015 design for the Ferrari Factory Store in Milan. In 2012, the Italian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale featured Iosa Ghini's work on the "Seat Pagine Gialle" offices in Turin in their exhibition, "Architecture del Made in Italy."
Product design
Product design
Several of Iosa Ghini's works were featured in the Memphis Project. His furniture concepts belong to museum collections. Iosa Ghini has received several design awards, including the Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum, the Roscoe Award, the IAI Green Design Award in China, the iF Product Design Award, and the Red Dot Award.
Work
Work
• Illustration — Ferrari Factory Store The Iosa Ghini website features the following projects: • Brickell Flatiron, Miami (USA) - Currently under construction • Marconi Express, People Mover, Bologna (Italy) • OKO Residential Building, Moscow (Russia) - Completed in 2016 • "Linea di Luce" (Italy) - Completed in 2014 • IBM Italia, IBM Software Executive Briefing Center, Rome (Italy) - Completed in 2010 • Garage San Marco, Venice (Italy) - Completed in 2009 • Ferrari Factory Store, Serravalle Scrivia (Italy) - Completed in 2009 • Ferrari, Galleria Museo Ferrari, Maranello (Italy) - Completed in 2004 • Boscolo Group, New York Residence, Budapest (Hungary) - Completed in 2004 • Kiko Make Up Milano, Stores - Ongoing since 2006 • Superga, Stores - Established in 1997
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1959
Massimo Iosa Ghini born at Bologna.
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3851301: Massimo Iosa Ghini
General reference · Wikidata
reference work
- “Massimo Iosa Ghini”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Massimo Iosa Ghini. vitage.it.
- 2.Massimo Iosa Ghini, Designer. Archiproducts.
- 3.Fiell, Charlotte. Design of the 20th Century. Taschen. 349. 2005. 9783822840788.
- 4.Barnes, Sara. How the Memphis Movement Went Against “Good Taste” To Inspire Designers Today. My Modern Met. 2023-08-20.
- 5.Jacobs, Sara. David Bowie's out-of-this-world art collection just sold for over $41 million — see 21 of his best furniture pieces. Business Insider. 2016-11-14.
- 6.Natuzzi - Massimo Iosa Ghini. www.natuzzi.com.
- 7.About – Iosa Ghini Associates.
- 8.Ferrari store by massimo iosa ghini opens in milan during design week, designboom. 2015-06-29.
- 9.From Memphis to Miami: The Message and Work of Italian Architect and Designer Massimo Iosa Ghini. ArchDaily. 2016-11-30.
- 10.Global Design News. Massimo Iosa Ghini’s design for Caleido elevates its signature state-of-the-art radiators into an architectural piece of design marked by its sculptural graphism. Global Design New.
- 11.THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/brickell-flatiron
Bibliography printed in the source article · 15
- Massimo Iosa Ghini, Sillavengo, Edition Rossi Schreiber, 1991
- Massimo Iosa Ghini Disegni, Kalòs, 1992
- Massimo Iosa Ghini, N.N. Edizioni, Düsseldorf, 1993
- La Stazione della metropolitana Kroepke a Hannover, Electa, Milan, 2000
- 15 anni di progetti, Electa, Milan, 2001
- Car Corporate Image, Electa, Milan, 2002
- Design del Negozio - lo Spazio Esperienziale, 2002
- Esercizi di architettura - Involucri – Exercises in architecture, Electa, Milan, 2003
- Massimo Iosa Ghini da designer ad architetto, Editrice Compositori, Bologna, 2005
- Massimo Iosa Ghini, Disegni di architetture, Antonia Jannone Galleria, 2007
- Editrice Compositori, Bologna, 2009
- Design del XX secolo, Charlotte & Peter Fiell, Taschen, 2011
- Agora / Form and Technology / IBM Software Executive Briefing Center – Rome, Electa, Milan, 2012
- I protagonisti del design – Massimo Iosa Ghini, Vol. 33, Hachette Fascicoli, Milan, 2012
- Massimo Iosa Ghini, Skira Editore, Milan, 2013
References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
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People, houses and institutions
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Studied at
1- Polytechnic University of MilanOrganisation
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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